Cultural Heritage

Provides local and regional cultural heritage programs through active and passive interpretation to gain an understanding of how the natural and cultural history of the area has shaped our past, present, and future.

SPECIAL EVENTS

JUNETEENTH

The Juneteenth program will look to honor the history of Juneteenth by highlighting the powerful words of African American writers over the past centuries as well as in current times. Participants will be provided background for the significance of the day and welcomed to share what it means to them. They will be encouraged to convey feelings and thoughts about Juneteenth through original poems or songs for the group. Registration required. Age: 13-17 No Cost LEIGH FARM PARK 16781 Jun 18 Sa 9am-11am 1pm-3pm

HIKES AND TOURS

WEST POINT PARK TOUR

Take a guided tour of West Point on the Eno’s historic buildings and grounds while visiting the West Point Mill, McCown-Mangum House, and Hugh Mangum Museum of Photography. You will hear stories about the people who lived, worked, and played here. Tours leave on the hour at 11 a.m., 12 p.m., and 1 p.m. No Cost WEST POINT ON THE ENO 16002 Jun 4-Aug 28 Su,Sa 11am-2pm

WEST POINT PARK TOUR - SPECIAL TOPIC

Join us at 10 a.m. Saturdays for new special park tours that will introduce audiences to previously unexamined topics of West Point history. Each month will feature a new topic ranging from the history and culture of alcohol use in the region and at West Point on the Eno to the view of history through the lens of the women of West Point. You won’t want to miss these special tours! No Cost WEST POINT ON THE ENO 16010 Jun 4-Aug 27 Sa 10am-11am

Take a guided tour of Leigh Farm Park. Come inside the Visitors’ Center and request a tour from our Historic Site Interpreters at your convenience from 10am-2pm. You’ll learn about the families who lived here, their work, and life on a middle-class plantation. Venture inside the historic farmhouse while also visiting the enslaved people’s cabin and the Leigh Family Cemetery. No Cost LEIGH FARM PARK 16005 Jun 4-Aug 27 Sa 10am-2pm

HISTORY HIKE

Explore the trails around West Point on the Eno while learning about the history or nature around us. Participants are encouraged to bring water and wear sturdy hiking shoes as some hikes can cover up to three miles. Dogs are generally allowed unless the specific hike includes entry to the historic building(s). Contact caitlin.avinger@ durhamnc.gov for specific hike details. Registration required. Age: 10 and up No Cost WEST POINT ON THE ENO 16780 Jun 3 F 10am-12pm 16779 Aug 5 F 10am-12pm Explore the trails around West Point on the Eno while learning about the history or nature around us. Participants are encouraged to bring water and wear sturdy hiking shoes as some hikes can cover up to three miles. Dogs are generally allowed unless the specific hike includes entry to the historic building(s). Contact caitlin.avinger@ durhamnc.gov for specific hike details. Registration required. Age: 10 and up No Cost WEST POINT ON THE ENO 16778 Jul 16 Sa 10am-12pm

YOUTH

HANDS ON HISTORY: BUTTON PHOTO

People have enjoyed sharing pictures in unique ways for a long time! One popular way to share photographs in the past was to turn them into buttons one could wear. Join us to learn about the process and make one of your own. Registration is required and one adult must remain with their child(ren) throughout the program. Age: 5-12 CR Fee: $1.50 NCR Fee: $6.50 WEST POINT ON THE ENO 16785 Aug 6 Sa 2pm-3pm 16786 Aug 6 Sa 3pm-4pm Let’s play! Join us as we play popular children’s games from the past. Registration is required and one adult must remain with their child(ren) throughout the program and are encouraged to participate. Age: 5-12 No Cost WEST POINT ON THE ENO 16782 Jun 11 Sa 2pm-3pm 16783 Jun 11 Sa 3pm-4pm

HANDS ON HISTORY: LEIGH FAMILY CEMETERY

Calling all future historians! There is so much we can learn about cultures and communities based on their burial practices. Come learn about cemeteries and the traditions around headstones by exploring the Leigh Family cemetery. Registration is required. One adult must remain with their child(ren) throughout the program and are encouraged to participate. Age: 5-12 No Cost LEIGH FARM PARK 16784 Jul 16 Sa 2pm-3pm 16787 Jul 16 Sa 3pm-4pm

SCHEDULE A PRIVATE TOUR OR HIKE

Would you like to schedule a private park tour or hike? Private tours and hikes are free, but please allow eight business days for us to set up for you. Private tour options include park tours of Leigh Farm Park or West Point on the Eno Park, or a selection of our History Hikes. Contact Caitlin Avinger at Caitlin.Avinger@DurhamNC. gov if you have questions or would like to schedule one. Please note, private tours and hikes are dependent on staff availability and are limited to a maximum size of 14 participants. If you would like to register for a regularly scheduled tour or hike, visit us at DPRPlayMore.org.

HERITAGE PARKS

West Point on the Eno Park and Leigh Farm Park make up the City of Durham’s Heritage Parks. These significant natural and historic parks provide opportunities for picnicking, fishing, hiking, outdoor nature study, and cultural history programming.

WEST POINT ON THE ENO

5101 N. Roxboro St., Durham, NC 27704 919-560-4355 This 388-acre natural and historic park is located along a two-mile stretch of the scenic Eno River, six miles north of downtown Durham. Take a step back in time to Durham’s early beginnings by touring the working Grist Mill, the 1850’s McCown-Mangum House, and the Hugh Mangum Museum of Photography. Park tours are offered on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through December. Tours are free, but registration is required. Park tours meet at the mill. Private tours can be arranged in advance by calling 919-560-4355. You can also enjoy a leisurely picnic and stroll around the grounds or take a hike through the woods on one of the park trails. Feel free to bring your canoe or raft and experience the beauty of the Eno River. The park gates are open daily, year-round, from 8 a.m. to dark.

Cog pit in the West Point Mill at West Point on the Eno

Leigh Family House at Leigh Farm Park

LEIGH FARM PARK

370 Leigh Farm Rd. Durham, NC 27707 919-560-4355

This 82.8-acre property located at 370 Leigh Farm Road is anchored by a seven-acre historic core listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. The park includes the Leigh House (circa 1835), an early 19th century dairy, a mid-19th century enslaved peoples cabin with notable stick-built chimney, smokehouse, corn crib and a late 19th century well house and carriage house. The property also features a second mid-19th century slave cabin with a 1930 Rustic Revival log addition, an early 20th century tobacco barn and pack house, several mid-20th century residences, and wooded acreage that was historically open agricultural land. Guided tours are offered on Saturdays through December. Admission is free.